“But let justice roll like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.” –Amos 5:24
The 1950’s is often considered a wonderful decade in the United States of America. It was a time of significant prosperity in our country. Across the country suburbs began to spring up as people built homes at an unprecedented rate. The television made its way into the living room of the suburban homes. Rock and Roll was broadcasted across the air. NASA launches the first satellite into orbit. It was an unprecedented decade for sure.
During this time period, in most states, including Oklahoma, segregation was the practice of the day. Across the country groups began to fight for civil rights. Great leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dorothy Height helped to organize a country to find “justice for all.”
In Oklahoma, Clara Luper became a leader in the civil rights movement. On August 19, 1958, 60 years ago this week, Clara Luper led one of the first sit-ins in downtown Oklahoma City. She, along with her son and daughter and several other youth to sit-in in protest against the Katz Drug Store at their lunch counter. Although they were threatened and had the police called on them, they were successful and in just a few days the Katz Drug Store desegregated its lunch counter. This was a first of many victories for Luper as she became a leader in Oklahoma and the nation for civil rights.
Clara Luper was a significant person in the on-going work for civil rights. Her leadership helped society to become a better place for all. Clara Luper did not start out in life to be a civil rights leader. She was a teacher. She taught for 41 years in Oklahoma schools.
Like most of us, I am sure that Clara Luper would have loved to spend her days in a much more peaceful and personal pursuits. However, she could not sit by while such injustice existed in her life and the lives of her people around her. So, she gave of her personal time to make a difference in the world.
60 years ago, Clara Luper reminded each of us that we have the ability to make a difference in the lives of the people around us. As a people of faith, when we see injustice, we are to respond with work for justice. We give thanks for the life of saints like Clara Luper. Today we are reminded that there is still work to be done to make God’s love, hope and justice known by all.
Rev. Keith King, Online Campus Pastor
